After a month and a half of voting and a staggering 4.6 million votes cast, Minato Namikaze, known as the Fourth Hokage, has been crowned as the number one Naruto character by fans around the world. The results of the NARUTOP99 worldwide character poll were unveiled today, showcasing the top 22 characters as illustrated by series creator Masashi Kishimoto.
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In a comment celebrating the poll results, Kishimoto expressed his surprise at seeing Minato ranked first worldwide and revealed that he had been rooting for Kurama to make it to the top. Despite Kurama’s 22nd-place finish, Kishimoto included both Kurama and 21st-placed Guy in the final illustration.
Minato Namikaze had already secured the top spot in the preliminary poll results, and maintained his position as the ultimate fan-favorite character in the final results, surpassing all regions and age groups. Itachi Uchiha also held steady at second place in both the preliminary and final rankings. Notably, Sakura Haruno experienced a last-minute surge in popularity, surpassing Shisui Uchiha to claim a spot in the top three, while Kakashi Hatake overtook Naruto to secure fifth place.
To commemorate Minato’s victory, Kishimoto will be creating an official one-shot featuring the character and has even increased the page count due to the overwhelming passion shown by fans.
Naruto Anime
Naruto is a popular Japanese manga (comic) and anime (animated) series created by Masashi Kishimoto. It was first serialized in 1999 and has since become one of the most well-known anime and manga franchises worldwide. The story is set in a fictional world where ninja warriors with extraordinary abilities coexist with regular humans. The main character, Naruto Uzumaki, is a young ninja with a dream of becoming the strongest ninja in his village, the Hidden Leaf Village.
The story follows Naruto’s journey as he grows up, faces challenges, and makes friends along the way. He strives to become the Hokage, the leader of the Hidden Leaf Village, while facing numerous enemies, including other ninjas, rogue ninja groups, and powerful creatures. Naruto’s adventures are filled with action, humor, drama, and themes of friendship, family, determination, and sacrifice.
Naruto has a diverse cast of characters, each with their unique abilities, personalities, and backstories. Some of the notable characters in the series include Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto’s rival and friend; Sakura Haruno, a skilled ninja and Naruto’s love interest; Kakashi Hatake, Naruto’s mentor and a veteran ninja; and many others.
The Naruto franchise has also spawned numerous spin-off series, movies, video games, and other merchandise. It has a dedicated fan base and has had a significant impact on popular culture worldwide.
Source: press release
